Hon. William Barnard Rhodes

William Barnard Rhodes (1807? – 11 February 1878), casually referred to as Barney Rhodes, was a New Zealand landowner, pastoralist, businessman and politician. He was probably born in Lincolnshire, England, but took up a career at sea at an early age. In 1839 he settled in Wellington New Zealand and remained there for the rest of his life. He brought three of his younger brothers to New Zealand and they co-ordinated their efforts.

A tough man having "shrewd judgement, unflagging energy and sheer determination" his frugal ways and his personal engagement in physical labour deferred social acceptance by the new colony's social élite. Nevertheless, he used these talents to make himself a rich man and with his three brothers all four became major landowners and pastoralists in the North and in the South Island.

When he died in Wellington he was described as one of the richest people in the country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Barnard_Rhodes

Biography from https://boltoncemetery.org.nz/burial-list/detail/6254/
Biography available at www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb (Dictionary of New Zealand Biography). Barnard RHODES, the oldest of four brothers who came to New Zealand, became a wealthy merchant, property owner and sheep farmer, and a Member of Parliament from 1853 onwards. He was probably the richest person in New Zealand at the time of his death. He had only one daughter, Mary Ann, who married Edward MOORHOUSE, went to live in England and had four children. One of these, William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse, was a pilot in WWI and was awarded a Victoria Cross when he died after a successful bombing raid near Ypres in 1915. His only son served as a pilot, in WWII, and also lost his life in the war.